[Vince]

http://www.rampantgames.com/blog/2008/02/why-indie-rpgs-indies-of-round-table-1.html

Thomas Riegsecker, Basilisk Games ("Eschalon: Book 1"):

There are several things that an indie title can offer over these other options, actually. Indie games cater to a very specific niche market that many AAA developers just don't understand. I'm part of the 1% of the population that didn't like The Witcher despite desperately wanting to enjoy it. It just didn't feel like an RPG to me, as is the problem with many mainstream titles that call themselves role-playing games.

Secondly, an indie title can offer a fresh perspective (new setting, new rules) that you don't get with user-made mods. I've played many NWN mods, and after the twentieth module they get rather redundant. Sure, there are some nice total conversions that are fairly stimulating, but 95% of users mods are just more of the same. Add-ons and user mods are no substitute for a fresh, new game.

Lastly, I think that most indie titles represent a good value. While AAA tiles may cost $50-$60 dollars each, you can get a great indie RPG for half that- plus you tend to get better customer service. When someone has a problem with my game, they can speak to me about it. How many people were able to talk to Todd Howard when they were having trouble with Oblivion?

[MaximB]

I agree about some of the things in this article :
I like Indie games because I can actually speak with the developers and they (in most ceases) listen to me, I feel involved - this is one of the most important things to me, to feel part of it.

While I enjoyed the bigger games like Oblivion in my Windows days that long gone I really can't speak with the developers, but on the other hand I really can't understand what is wrong with this game as you and other people say , I still think it is one of the best RPG's ever made.

P.S
Please make a Linux client for The Age of Decadence so we could also enjoy it.

[Vince]

Oblivion? Did you read my review, by any chance? I think it sums up the game very well. One of the best RPGs - or even a good RPG - it simply is not.

[MaximB]

Oblivion? Did you read my review, by any chance? I think it sums up the game very well. One of the best RPGs - or even a good RPG - it simply is not.

Which review do you mean ? you got quite a lot here : http://www.rpgcodex.net/gamedetails.php?id=301

Anyway I'm not saying that this game was perfect, there were many things I didn't like in Oblivion like the skill and "leveling" system, but there were a hell of a lot of things that I did like, like riding horses, buying and "upgrading" houses, the NPC's which are always doing something and dubbed.

But I suspect I know what you didn't like and I agree with it but still this game is so detailed that is won my top 5 RPG's.

[Oscar]

http://www.rpgcodex.net/content.php?id=129

This is the review. Someone should fix the ’, BTW.

[Vince]

...but there were a hell of a lot of things that I did like, like riding horses, buying and "upgrading" houses, the NPC's which are always doing something and dubbed.

Those things, which were implemented in a half-ass way, btw, don't make it an RPG though. At best it could be called a Fantasy Land Simulator. 

[MaximB]

Ok, I agree that Oblivion had a lot of problems, but regardless it had some very impressive things besides graphics.
I agree that Oblivion could be much much better, but if you think about it we don't currently have a lot of really good RPG's.

I've played  the demo of Eschalon: Book 1, I really tried to like it as I use Linux and I don't have much choice.
I really liked that we can actually speak with the developers and ask them for things and get involved.
But the game graphics was bad, yeah I know, it's an Old school RPG, it doesn't need to have a good graphics, but at least for me the quests were very very hard, I didn't even know were to begin and even when I went to the "quests" places I've found nothing (the wine celler, the crypt etc...) leaving me guyessing what am I to do now ? ....

But I did love NWN1 (can't play the second one, you know why) and Fallout2 (in my windows age).

I love choices and dialogs (with reasonable graphics) and I anticipate "The Broken Hourglass" game for some time now, just give me the sign so I could also anticipate your game.

[Priapist]

Nice read, Vince (and friends). What sort of schedule are the other parts of the article going to go up on?

[Vince]

Ok, I agree that Oblivion had a lot of problems, but regardless it had some very impressive things besides graphics.

Like?

I agree that Oblivion could be much much better, but if you think about it we don't currently have a lot of really good RPG's.

We don't, but that's not a good reason to pretend that Oblivion is a good RPG.

But the game graphics was bad, yeah I know, it's an Old school RPG, it doesn't need to have a good graphics, but at least for me the quests were very very hard, I didn't even know were to begin and even when I went to the "quests" places I've found nothing (the wine celler, the crypt etc...) leaving me guyessing what am I to do now ? ....

You prefer hand-holding and a compass telling you where to go next?

But I did love NWN1...

Why?

I love choices and dialogs (with reasonable graphics) and I anticipate "The Broken Hourglass" game for some time now, just give me the sign so I could also anticipate your game.

The sign?

[Vince]

Nice read, Vince (and friends). What sort of schedule are the other parts of the article going to go up on?

No idea. It's not my show. Once a week maybe?

[Hümmelgümpf der Bruzzelzwerg]

We're Knights of the Round Table;
Our shows are formidable,
But many times we're given rhymes
That are quite unsingable...

An interesting read indeed. Good compilation of ideas and reasoning behind the indie scene.

[MaximB]

Ok, I agree that Oblivion had a lot of problems, but regardless it had some very impressive things besides graphics.

Like?

I agree that Oblivion could be much much better, but if you think about it we don't currently have a lot of really good RPG's.

We don't, but that's not a good reason to pretend that Oblivion is a good RPG.

But the game graphics was bad, yeah I know, it's an Old school RPG, it doesn't need to have a good graphics, but at least for me the quests were very very hard, I didn't even know were to begin and even when I went to the "quests" places I've found nothing (the wine celler, the crypt etc...) leaving me guyessing what am I to do now ? ....

You prefer hand-holding and a compass telling you where to go next?

But I did love NWN1...

Why?

I love choices and dialogs (with reasonable graphics) and I anticipate "The Broken Hourglass" game for some time now, just give me the sign so I could also anticipate your game.

The sign?

I loved in Oblivion the that you could buy and upgrade houses, buy horses, that every NPC was always doing something and you could interact with most NPC's (that weren't trying to kill you )
I liked the voice acting for every NPC, I loved the Arena and the guids you could join to do quests and advanced in ranks.
I loved the cities that looked very different from one and other and you could go inside every house in the game.

I agree that quests in Oblivion were very easy, but it's not fun being lost when you have no idea what to do or when to go next like it is (at least for me) in Eschalon: Book 1.
We need something in the middle like NWN1 I loved their quests and many choices you had to finish them, many dialog options and skills, Party members could be better, but are still very nice.
But all those RPG's are of a very different kind and focus on different things.

From what I read your game will have what I like.
The sign is your confirmation about making a Linux client for your game.
I read that you use Torque so it shouldn't be too hard, but I didn't yet "heard" your O.K on that.
 

[Vince]

Yes, we will do Linux and Mac versions, assuming that we won't run into serious problems with Torque.

[MaximB]

Yes, we will do Linux and Mac versions, assuming that we won't run into serious problems with Torque.

Thank you.
What problems can you encounter ? (sorry for asking)
Would you also make a 64-bit version ?

[Vince]

What problems can you encounter ? (sorry for asking)

No idea. I mean, Torque is supposed to support Linux, but supposed and does are two very different things and it could take many months of work to bridge them.