-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Torment: Tides of Numenera Kickstarter by InXile [Complete; $4.3 million funded]
- Thread starter Perkel
- Start date
Pat Rothfuss held a chat session on the topic of video game storytelling with Colin McComb, Jerry Holkins, & Veronica Belmont:
http://youtu.be/1PtFlcZome4
Haven't listened to it yet but I imagine it would give you a decent idea of how Rothfuss would approach it.
http://youtu.be/1PtFlcZome4
Haven't listened to it yet but I imagine it would give you a decent idea of how Rothfuss would approach it.
Chairman Yang
if he talks about books, you better damn well listen
Oh no...I don't like Rothfuss as a writer at all, judging by his current series. He has tendencies toward Mary Sue characters, bloated storytelling, bad dialogue, poorly-resolved plotlines, lots of cliche...and that's just for his novels. Is he at all suited towards video game writing?
Joe Abercrombie or China Mieville would have been much better choices, assuming they were interested. They're brilliant fantasy writers and avid gamers.
Edit: That said, he does write magic systems very well. I'll try to keep an open mind.
Joe Abercrombie or China Mieville would have been much better choices, assuming they were interested. They're brilliant fantasy writers and avid gamers.
Edit: That said, he does write magic systems very well. I'll try to keep an open mind.
I would want this to happen even more than Avellone.
Seriously.
I cannot imagine a more perfect fit.
Can't say I'm very happy about Rothfuss based on his work. Also just adding more and more writers may be getting to the point where too many cooks in the kitchen ruin the broth. How can you keep a distinct style and vision intact with an increasing amount of big name writers who would obviously want to add a little of their own flavor to the game?
You need a very effective project director to keep everyone in line and maintain a singular voice.
Seems Rothfuss' input will be relatively limited. He wrote this on his blog:
Rothfuss said:
Remains to be seen how it works out.
But man, China Mieville. I posted in the Project Eternity thread how I'd want nothing more than to see off-kilter Mieville-inspired work in one of these Kickstarter RPGs, since they have so much freedom to go all out. Mieville being involved in a new Torment would have been absolutely heaven-sent. The guy is even a D&D geek.
I experienced Torment and Perdido Street Station at around the same time, and they made a huge impression on me when I was younger, being largely the reason along with Lovecraft that I love bizarre fantasy.
Mieville will make a game one of these days, goddammit.
I just spent almost an hour reading the update, and the associated blog posts and videos. I think the kickstarter already has more content than some AAA games 
kill up my pledge for Abercrombie involvement. I'm of two minds about Mieville -- when he's good he is fantastic, but I find myself feeling like he drags on too much from time to time. And this is coming from someone who devoured Erikson. Who by the way should also write for a game.
Anyway, about magic systems, I'm not a huge fan of Brian Sanderson's work overall (though I usually enjoy reading it), but he managed to introduce several novel and interesting magic systems so far. I'd like to see at least one of them in a game at some point.
I'd
I haven't read anything by Rothfuss. The kickstarter update almost made me order his first book, but the reaction here is giving me second thoughts.
Anyway, about magic systems, I'm not a huge fan of Brian Sanderson's work overall (though I usually enjoy reading it), but he managed to introduce several novel and interesting magic systems so far. I'd like to see at least one of them in a game at some point.
This was also one of my thoughts. It could turn into the best thing ever made by mankind, but it could also end up as a disconnected mess. I like to believe in the former.
Is China Mieville a gamer? I thought he hated games.
Thanks for posting this, I enjoyed it a bunch.
I'd check it out to give you an idea of what his style is like. Rothfuss is (literally) unapologetic about his use of Mary Sue characters - his protagonist infamously epitomizing the trope - but you may find something to like in it. The main character often seems to present the biggest obstacle those who dislike the series have to enjoying it.
It does have a pretty great sympathetic magic system.
I'll give Rothfuss the benefit of the doubt when it comes to Torment. It's unsure just what his role will be in the writing process, and along with working in a new medium and collaborating with a number of other writers, there's no telling what to expect.
He's more a tabletop RPG gamer, or was, but he's played and respects vidja games as well. He's particularly shown interest in writing for them.
I just spent almost an hour reading the update, and the associated blog posts and videos. I think the kickstarter already has more content than some AAA games
I'dkillup my pledge for Abercrombie involvement. I'm of two minds about Mieville -- when he's good he is fantastic, but I find myself feeling like he drags on too much from time to time. And this is coming from someone who devoured Erikson. Who by the way should also write for a game.
Suggest a Joe Abercrombie stretch goal on that user voice thingy.
DouglasteR
Member
OMG, first Oculus and now this.
IM NOT RICH GODDAMIT
IM NOT RICH GODDAMIT
But neither i can live without this, backing it up now !
WHY THE FUCK NOBODY HAS CONTACTED HIM YET THEN?????
Dwight Schrute
Member
The comprehensive epilogue is clever a fu*** I love it.
I tried to read a Wise man's fear. Wasn't bad at all, but imagine The Witcher if the author spent more time fluffing Geralt up all the time. (or just re-read yang's post on him, though I was bit kinder on him)
3.5mil strech goal - Nicomo cosca as a companion.
damn...
DAMN...................
KS needs to be done. But not with inXile. Obsidian would be a better fit.
You've got some reading to do
China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
Joe Abercrombie - The Blade Itself
Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind
All three are part of a series, though in Perdido's case the three books that form the series (Bas-Lag) are basically standalone and can be read in whatever order. Some find The Scar easier to get into as their introduction to Mieville.
You've got some reading to do
China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
Joe Abercrombie - The Blade Itself
Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind
All three are part of a series, though in Perdido's case the three books that form the series (Bas-Lag) are basically standalone and can be read in whatever order. Some find The Scar easier to get into as their introduction to Mieville.
Thanks for the recommendations, I'll try to read at least one of those books. Never been a big fan of fiction(in general) for whatever reason.
You've got some reading to do
China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
Joe Abercrombie - The Blade Itself
Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind
All three are part of a series, though in Perdido's case the three books that form the series (Bas-Lag) are basically standalone and can be read in whatever order. Some find The Scar easier to get into as their introduction to Mieville.
Thanks for the recommendations. I've read #2 and #3 already.
Based upon that I'm not sure if I'd want that Rothfuss stretch goal.
only heard good things about Perdido Street Station, afaik it's considered one of the best fantasy/sci-fi novels in recent memory.
despite the ama and new update the kickstarter still isn't really going forward, they really need to come up with a mega-stretch goal go rekindle the hype. I'm expecting them to announce a 2D stretch goal soon, if they were serious about it
despite the ama and new update the kickstarter still isn't really going forward, they really need to come up with a mega-stretch goal go rekindle the hype. I'm expecting them to announce a 2D stretch goal soon, if they were serious about it
Yeah I soured on the Name of the Wind pretty fast.
Main character now feels like a meandering Mary Sue (Penny arcade had a great sendup of how Kvothe gets to fuck everything in sight). The series is too long and so what were endearing quirks in the character are now just annoying and tedious (we get it. Kvothe hates poetry. God).
Plus he makes the same mistakes over and over and over. Once is fine, twice is pushing it, third time you want to strangle Kvothe for being an absolute dumbass.
Main character now feels like a meandering Mary Sue (Penny arcade had a great sendup of how Kvothe gets to fuck everything in sight). The series is too long and so what were endearing quirks in the character are now just annoying and tedious (we get it. Kvothe hates poetry. God).
Plus he makes the same mistakes over and over and over. Once is fine, twice is pushing it, third time you want to strangle Kvothe for being an absolute dumbass.
The first book was great, I thought. The second one was decent, at first. After I finished reading it and thought about it, it was almost like the illusion shattered and I was left pretty dissatisfied.
Ah yes. I was wondering where I heard the name before and now I remember. I'm not super excited about Rothfuss but I'm not supposed to be super excited about every update. FWIW I read the series over vacation and promptly dropped them in the donation bin at the airport.
I'm also beginning to question the amount of writers they are signing up for this project. I don't mind to see lots of talented people joning. I just hope the writing is coherent enough and they can get a unified vision of it all. After they announced Ziets and Mitsoda as stretch goals, I thought that was it for more writers.
I will also have to "lol" at their continued use of using numbers for more gameplay. 225% more gameplay! Really? That is starting to sound very silly. The wasteland 2 Kickstarter almost seems to have been handled better.
I will also have to "lol" at their continued use of using numbers for more gameplay. 225% more gameplay! Really? That is starting to sound very silly. The wasteland 2 Kickstarter almost seems to have been handled better.
You've got some reading to do
China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
Joe Abercrombie - The Blade Itself
Patrick Rothfuss - The Name of the Wind
All three are part of a series, though in Perdido's case the three books that form the series (Bas-Lag) are basically standalone and can be read in whatever order. Some find The Scar easier to get into as their introduction to Mieville.
Mieville is on a different level from the others.
Some good tidbits in there, plus that 3rd fathom was totally unexpected looking and sweet, and new stretch goals are nice.
Brother None
Member
Oh yes. We're going ham on this thing.
Yeah, like I said at the begining of the KS, its seems they are trying to write a playable book and a bunch of novellas I wont read rather than a game, get some people with actual technical and creative talent that can help you achieve your vision properly, its a perfect oportunity to fix the worst part of Planescape which was the gameplay.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Okay, that was a really meaty update.
Third Fathom
Love the look of this, and can't wait to see a 4th one (we're currently just another 2k backers away from that).
Brian Mitsoda
Great stuff!
New rewards
Damn, now I might try to grab the $50 tier for the comic book.
On the otherhand, revealing too much background info might ruin interactions with the character in the game.
2.85 million Stretch Goal
Sounds alright.
3 million stretch goal
Same old stuff then, it looks like we'll for sure reach it (just 1 million 75k away)
3.1 million stretch goal
Nothing to complain about this.
3.25 million stretch goal - Pat Rothfuss
Sigh...
At least he'll hopefully have a minor influence of the main character.
Third Fathom
Love the look of this, and can't wait to see a 4th one (we're currently just another 2k backers away from that).
Brian Mitsoda
Great stuff!
New rewards
Damn, now I might try to grab the $50 tier for the comic book.
On the otherhand, revealing too much background info might ruin interactions with the character in the game.
2.85 million Stretch Goal
Sounds alright.
3 million stretch goal
Same old stuff then, it looks like we'll for sure reach it (just 1 million 75k away)
3.1 million stretch goal
Nothing to complain about this.
3.25 million stretch goal - Pat Rothfuss
Sigh...
At least he'll hopefully have a minor influence of the main character.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
Yeah I still don't get this, the book has some bizarre pacing problems and is often too jargon-ey for my tastes. Enjoyable yes, but classic fantasy it is not. The dude has imagination, but imagination only makes up for so many problems in execution. I seem to be in the minority on that though
So yeah, I'm fine they didn't get China. And I'd be fine with Rothefuss
Agreed. His Bas-Lag books are God Tier. Except maybe Iron Council.
That's a much more concise and accurate way to express what I meant in my earlier comment on Mieville.
I swear if they do the 2D stretch goal and then it doesn't get funded I'm gonna be mad. :<
*hopes it is the 3.5mil stretch goal*
They could easily announce him but it would be somewhat dishonest since he is busy as heck and wouldnt contribute as much time.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
I think they will get 4 million, so they might go and put Chris Avellone AND/OR 2D-art there to ensure they reach that amount.