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Ion Hardie of Reflexive Entertainment Comments by Gestalt

5 August, 2002

Interview - Lionheart's lead designer talks Fallout, magic and the Spanish Inquisition

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Comments: 1-23 of 23 in total

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otto [mod]
05/08/02 @ 12:53
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Whizzo
05/08/02 @ 12:57
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You really have far too much time on your hands don't you otto? ;-)

On the matter of the game, I actually rather like the SPECIAL system, it worked pretty well in the three Fallout games and it'll be interesting to see how this one turns out too. To think it was only created because a powersuited US soldier executed a Canadian prisoner all those years ago.....
otto [mod]
05/08/02 @ 13:09
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Sounds very interesting doesn't it? The renaissance European setting I mean. (I don't get the US soldier/Canadian prisoner reference btw)
Whizzo
05/08/02 @ 13:20
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I don't get the US soldier/Canadian prisoner reference btw
It was a bit obscure I'll admit.. Fallout was due to use GURPS (Generic Universal Role Play System) by Steve Jackson Games as its ruleset, a very good system that does exactly what it says on the tin.

However Steve Jackson himself had some issues with the way Fallout was going, one thing he was particularly peeved about was the opening cinematic featuring typical propaganda style footage of the US war with Canada. In it two brave US powersuit wearing soldiers have captured a Canuck, one of them draws his pistol and shoots him pointblank in the head. Body falls to ground the the two soldiers then wave happily at the camera. Jackson wanted that bit pulled and other things changed too, Interplay refused, so SJ pulled their license. Fallout was completely de-GURPSed and SPECIAL was born.
Edited 2 times, most recently on 05/08/02 @ 14:22
otto [mod]
05/08/02 @ 13:32
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Wow - that *was* a bit obscure! ;)

I remember that opening clip in Fallout. It never occurred to me for a second to see that as US propaganda, if anything I thought it was more a Canadian dig at the Yanks.
Whizzo
05/08/02 @ 13:50
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I thought it was more a Canadian dig at the Yanks.
It's an American game though isn't it! It was just a really good example of the black humour/twisted perspective of the Fallout universe, it helps emphasise it isn't our world. I'm glad Interplay stuck to its guns, not having GURPS didn't harm it in anyway.
otto [mod]
05/08/02 @ 13:59
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Right, I thought maybe some Canadians were involved. Either way, as you say, it's blackly humorous and it would have been a bit precious to take it out.
mal
05/08/02 @ 17:34
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Lionheart's lead designer talks Fallout, magic and the Spanish Inquisition

I never expected the Spanish Inquistion.

(cue Gestalt)
Gestalt
05/08/02 @ 17:40
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I refer you to the top of the second page.
mal
05/08/02 @ 18:48
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Heh, I should have known!
BlankOBlank!
05/08/02 @ 19:02
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Blame Canada.
Whizzo
06/08/02 @ 08:54
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the number of yank soldiers on the canadian border has quad drupled
Er? The US/Canada border is the largest undefended frontier in the world. The only people either side has there are customs men and cops.

Blame Canada.
Well they do all have egg-shaped flappy heads don't they? What's that all aboot...
otto [mod]
06/08/02 @ 09:12
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You *did* see the one where Saddam Hussein becomes dictator of Canada (something to do with Philip & Terrance fathering Celine Dion's lovechild I think)...?
Whizzo
06/08/02 @ 09:20
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"Not Without My Anus" was the episode, put in just as everyone was expecting to find out who was Cartman's dad. Trey and Matt are evil gits.
Fizzy
06/08/02 @ 12:16
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This game looks cool; the setting holds incredible potential.
Khab
06/08/02 @ 16:48
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The setting is very refreshing, but I fail to understand why they still have to bring magic into the mix... can't we have one decent RPG without magic these days?
EPKJ
06/08/02 @ 19:26
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Lioheart, despite what the company says, cannot use the SPECIAL system. It is impossible since Lionheart uses real time combat and SPECIAL is a turn based rule system. Lionheart is a 3rd person shooter as it has a no pause real time combat system. This is not a CRPG. It is the next Diablo clone ala Neverwinter Nights. There is nothing wrong with such a game. There is something wrong with the lies which companies tell in order to sell them.
Gestalt
06/08/02 @ 20:55
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Did you even read the interview?

"When Black Isle suggested [using] the SPECIAL system, it seemed a natural fit, even with the real-time issues. For example, the concept of Action Points will be preserved, so agility is still very important, but Action Points will be converted into a real-time formula that relates to the character's overall speed. In general, the more Action Points you have the faster your character will move and the faster your attacks will be."

Oh no, it can't use SPECIAL, because SPECIAL is a turn-based system. Just like Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights can't use the D&D rules because D&D is a turn-based system. Yeesh...

As a wise woman once said, "did IQ's just drop sharply while I was away?"
otto [mod]
06/08/02 @ 21:03
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Yeah, where've you been?

*looks darkly at Gestalt*
Gestalt
06/08/02 @ 21:34
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I ventured down to Tottenham today to see a couple of CDV's new games, so I've been out most of the day.
EPKJ
07/08/02 @ 16:36
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"Oh no, it can't use SPECIAL, because SPECIAL is a turn-based system. Just like Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights can't use the D&D rules because D&D is a turn-based system. Yeesh...

As a wise woman once said, "did IQ's just drop sharply while I was away?""

Try thinking before questioning others' IQ's, Gestalt. If SPECIAL is turn based, then Lionheart cannot use it by definition. What it will use is a modified version of SPECIAL, but, it CANNOT be SPECIAL. Baldur's Gate did not use D&D rules. It used modified D&D rules. Thus, it was no more D&D than Lionheart will be SPECIAL. If one plays baseball using rules for softball, one is not playing baseball. Get it? Or is this too deep for you?
Gestalt
07/08/02 @ 17:54
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Ok, now you're just nitpicking. Saying that they're telling lies because they modified the rules to fit the game is kinda missing the point. Yes, they've changed it so that it runs in real time and they've added magic, but the underlying rules are based on the SPECIAL system. Just as Allied Assault is based on the Quake 3 engine without it being Quake 3, or Baldur's Gate is based on D&D while still having more-or-less real-time combat. Interplay and Reflexive aren't claiming that this is Fallout 4, they're saying that it uses the SPECIAL system as its basis. Which it does.

Yeesh...
EPKJ
15/08/02 @ 18:27
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Gestalt, a combat system actually defines a set of RPG rules. Thus, it is a huge matter that SPECIAL has been changed from turn based to real time. This is not nit picking. Further, SPECIAL is not a conversion. It was designed and successfully used in a computer game. So, changing it from turn based to real time is actually creating a whole new system and grafting the skills onto it.
Edited 1 times, most recently on 15/08/02 @ 19:29

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