Obsidian Entertainment turning its back on KOTOR2

[Shadows]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

This is really sad. Yesterday Feargus Urquhart announced that
they planned on closing down their forums. The few responses from
Obsidian on their own forums with regards to the chopped ending
in KOTOR2 were not helpful. In fact their graphics programmer
bordered on hostile on the NWN2 forums when he replied to people
complaining about KOTOR2.

I saw one quoted email from Mr. Urquhart who pretty much said
they've moved onto other projects.

Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
spoiler forums.

This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.


I've sent the following email to OE:

To: bizdev@obsidianent.com
Subject: KOTOR 2: Cut ending

Hi,

I saw the way you handled the KOTOR2 discussion regarding the cut
ending on your forums. I'd like to let you know that I'm very
disappointed and let down by the way you handled this matter. I
looked forward to your games when I first heard about Obsidian
Entertainment.

As a result of the way you handled our requests for the ending to
KOTOR2 to be restored I have decided to no longer purchase any
games developed by you. I hope this e-mail and others will
eventually persuade you to give some attention to KOTOR2.

I hope you understand that by destroying the community following
your games you're essentially cutting into your own revenue.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

shadows <shadows@whitefang.com> once tried to test me with:

> Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
> spoiler forums.
>
> This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
> franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
> about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.

It's their forums. Don't like it, don't go there.

> I've sent the following email to OE:
>
> To: bizdev@obsidianent.com
> Subject: KOTOR 2: Cut ending

Maybe you can get 20 or 30 other people to do the same thing.

That'll show 'em.

--

Knight37

The gene pool could use a little chlorine.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

"Knight37" <knight37m@email.com> wrote in message
news:Xns960DC53BC835Aknight37m@130.133.1.4...
> shadows <shadows@whitefang.com> once tried to test me with:
>
> > Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
> > spoiler forums.
> >
> > This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
> > franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
> > about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.
>
> It's their forums. Don't like it, don't go there.
>
> > I've sent the following email to OE:
> >
> > To: bizdev@obsidianent.com
> > Subject: KOTOR 2: Cut ending
>
> Maybe you can get 20 or 30 other people to do the same thing.
>
> That'll show 'em.
>


No, that won't show em anything, but it DEFINITELY will get their attention
if there is a PETITIONONLINE started!

 

[Shadows]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On 2005-03-03, Knight37 <knight37m@email.com> wrote:
> shadows <shadows@whitefang.com> once tried to test me with:
>
>> Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
>> spoiler forums.
>>
>> This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
>> franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
>> about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.
>
> It's their forums. Don't like it, don't go there.

Between "newspapers are irrelevant" and this comment, you're not
acting in a very rational manner. Those forums were setup for a
reason. To foster a community that they could cater to. Otherwise
what's the point?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

Knight37 wrote:
> shadows <shadows@whitefang.com> once tried to test me with:
>
>
>>Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
>>spoiler forums.
>>
>>This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
>>franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
>>about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.
>
>
> It's their forums. Don't like it, don't go there.

What? They have NOTHING to gain by cutting threads like the cut material
one. This kind of censoring only shows to people what their attitude is
like to free speech. 3D Realms was caught doing the same thing before.
This is a horrible example of PR.

>
>
>>I've sent the following email to OE:
>>
>>To: bizdev@obsidianent.com
>>Subject: KOTOR 2: Cut ending
>
>
> Maybe you can get 20 or 30 other people to do the same thing.
>
> That'll show 'em.
>

It doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. People will now be avoiding
Obsidian in droves if they act like this.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

GFree <nickt4001@yahoo.com.au> once tried to test me with:

> It doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. People will now be avoiding
> Obsidian in droves if they act like this.

The fanboys who tend to follow forums and then get all upset would like to
think that, but realistically, it isn't going to make a hill beans of
difference.

--

Knight37

The gene pool could use a little chlorine.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

Knight37 wrote:
> GFree <nickt4001@yahoo.com.au> once tried to test me with:
>
>
>>It doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. People will now be avoiding
>>Obsidian in droves if they act like this.
>
>
> The fanboys who tend to follow forums and then get all upset would like to
> think that, but realistically, it isn't going to make a hill beans of
> difference.
>

Perhaps not, but maybe word of mouth?

Either that or the company will die a horrable Trokia-style death if the
quality of their products doesn't improve.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

shadows in <slrnd2cn12.90m.shadows@helena.whitefang.com>:

> Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
> spoiler forums.

Huh? I haven't noticed any threads gone AWOL - even the mega thread is
still there: http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=29764

It has been locked, though, so no more free Gizkas now.

 

[Shadows]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On 2005-03-03, Darth Gizka <sherlog@t-online.de> wrote:
> shadows in <slrnd2cn12.90m.shadows@helena.whitefang.com>:
>
>> Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
>> spoiler forums.
>
> Huh? I haven't noticed any threads gone AWOL - even the mega thread is
> still there: http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=29764
>
> It has been locked, though, so no more free Gizkas now.

I couldn't get to it from the front page. I guess it was put all
the way at the end. The petition guy started a new thread.

Still, them doing this isn't good.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

"shadows" <shadows@whitefang.com> wrote in message
news:slrnd2cn12.90m.shadows@helena.whitefang.com...
> This is really sad. Yesterday Feargus Urquhart announced that
> they planned on closing down their forums. The few responses from
> Obsidian on their own forums with regards to the chopped ending
> in KOTOR2 were not helpful. In fact their graphics programmer
> bordered on hostile on the NWN2 forums when he replied to people
> complaining about KOTOR2.

Without giving away any spoilers, what exactly is the deal with the ending?
The one in the game is unsatisfactory, someone discovered code relating to a
different, maybe longer?, ending, and now people want the original ending?
Explain what's going on for people that haven't played 2 yet.

Tom

 

[Shadows]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On 2005-03-03, Tom Meyer <fake@email.address> wrote:
> "shadows" <shadows@whitefang.com> wrote in message
> news:slrnd2cn12.90m.shadows@helena.whitefang.com...
>> This is really sad. Yesterday Feargus Urquhart announced that
>> they planned on closing down their forums. The few responses from
>> Obsidian on their own forums with regards to the chopped ending
>> in KOTOR2 were not helpful. In fact their graphics programmer
>> bordered on hostile on the NWN2 forums when he replied to people
>> complaining about KOTOR2.
>
> Without giving away any spoilers, what exactly is the deal with the ending?
> The one in the game is unsatisfactory, someone discovered code relating to a
> different, maybe longer?, ending, and now people want the original ending?
> Explain what's going on for people that haven't played 2 yet.

The ending, according to anyone who played the game, even most of
the fanboys, is abrupt, and leaves a lot of questions
unanswered. Some players dug through the data files and found
dialog, and notes by the designers for a much more elaborate
ending that explained a LOT of things.

Also there's an entire planet that was removed which would have
explained another part of the main plot.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 20:15:00 -0600, Melketh wrote:

> "Knight37" <knight37m@email.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns960DC53BC835Aknight37m@130.133.1.4...
>> shadows <shadows@whitefang.com> once tried to test me with:
>>
>>> Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
>>> spoiler forums.
>>>
>>> This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
>>> franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
>>> about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.
>>
>> It's their forums. Don't like it, don't go there.
>>
>>> I've sent the following email to OE:
>>>
>>> To: bizdev@obsidianent.com
>>> Subject: KOTOR 2: Cut ending
>>
>> Maybe you can get 20 or 30 other people to do the same thing.
>>
>> That'll show 'em.
>>
>
> No, that won't show em anything, but it DEFINITELY will get their attention
> if there is a PETITIONONLINE started!

Yeah, Valve is quaking in their boots. Get it? Quaking... hahahaha!
--
RJB
3/3/2005 9:20:32 AM

Sometimes the need to mess with their heads outweighs the millstone of
humiliation.
--Fox Mulder (X-Files)

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 08:08:04 -0600, shadows wrote:

> On 2005-03-03, Tom Meyer <fake@email.address> wrote:
>> "shadows" <shadows@whitefang.com> wrote in message
>> news:slrnd2cn12.90m.shadows@helena.whitefang.com...
>>> This is really sad. Yesterday Feargus Urquhart announced that
>>> they planned on closing down their forums. The few responses from
>>> Obsidian on their own forums with regards to the chopped ending
>>> in KOTOR2 were not helpful. In fact their graphics programmer
>>> bordered on hostile on the NWN2 forums when he replied to people
>>> complaining about KOTOR2.
>>
>> Without giving away any spoilers, what exactly is the deal with the ending?
>> The one in the game is unsatisfactory, someone discovered code relating to a
>> different, maybe longer?, ending, and now people want the original ending?
>> Explain what's going on for people that haven't played 2 yet.
>
> The ending, according to anyone who played the game, even most of
> the fanboys, is abrupt, and leaves a lot of questions
> unanswered. Some players dug through the data files and found
> dialog, and notes by the designers for a much more elaborate
> ending that explained a LOT of things.
Prepping for KOTOR3 possibly? The movies did the same thing. Between
Episode 1 and 2 there were unanswered questions.

> Also there's an entire planet that was removed which would have
> explained another part of the main plot.
See above.

--
RJB
3/3/2005 9:21:55 AM

The moon unit will be divided into two divisions: Moon Unit Alpha and Moon
Unit Zappa.
--Dr. Evil

 

[Shadows]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On 2005-03-03, RJB <robartle@NOSPAM.hotmail.com> wrote:

> Prepping for KOTOR3 possibly? The movies did the same thing. Between
> Episode 1 and 2 there were unanswered questions.

Not really. They have a dialog between you and another character
that very quickly tells you some of these things instead of the
art/animation/cut scenes in the dialog files (along with the
voice acting).

It was cut due to time. There's a comment by a dev in the files
saying as much. Something along the lines of: we'll get to this
if we have the time.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

Tom Meyer wrote:
> "shadows" <shadows@whitefang.com> wrote in message
> news:slrnd2cn12.90m.shadows@helena.whitefang.com...
>
>>This is really sad. Yesterday Feargus Urquhart announced that
>>they planned on closing down their forums. The few responses from
>>Obsidian on their own forums with regards to the chopped ending
>>in KOTOR2 were not helpful. In fact their graphics programmer
>>bordered on hostile on the NWN2 forums when he replied to people
>>complaining about KOTOR2.
>
>
> Without giving away any spoilers, what exactly is the deal with the ending?
> The one in the game is unsatisfactory, someone discovered code relating to a
> different, maybe longer?, ending, and now people want the original ending?
> Explain what's going on for people that haven't played 2 yet.
>
> Tom
>
>

Sort of. Look for the thread called
KOTOR2: Cut out ending (spoilers)

or this link seems to be spoiler-free
http://www.gamespy.com/articles/588/588057p1.html?fromint=1

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

> This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
> franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
> about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.

Sadly, I don't think OE can do anything without LA's approval.
They're the one funding it all. If LA gives them money to fix
the ending, so they will. They don't, they won't.

OE's reaction is sadly perfectly understandable from a company
point of view. It's better not to recognize there has been mistakes,
than recognize them and then say they won't fix them.

-Moa Dragon

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

"Mils Michael" <mickmils@hotmail.com> wrote in news:d06mri$iv3$1
@news.tiscali.fr:

> Sadly, I don't think OE can do anything without LA's approval.
> They're the one funding it all. If LA gives them money to fix
> the ending, so they will. They don't, they won't.
>

Obsidian has asked Lucas Arts about doing a content patch. On the still-
existing Obsidian KOTOR II forum, a message from Chris Avellone:

"It's a bug fix patch. We haven't heard back from LucasArts on doing a
content patch. We asked some time ago, but they've been busy with the
Episode III game, so no surprise there.

More info as we get it,

Chris"


It's at http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=31125

 

[Shadows]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On 2005-03-03, Graeme Lindsell <graeme.lindsell@yahoo.com.au> wrote:


> Obsidian has asked Lucas Arts about doing a content patch. On the still-
> existing Obsidian KOTOR II forum, a message from Chris Avellone:
>
> "It's a bug fix patch. We haven't heard back from LucasArts on doing a
> content patch. We asked some time ago, but they've been busy with the
> Episode III game, so no surprise there.
>
> More info as we get it,
>
> Chris"
>
>
> It's at http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=31125

Good to know, that was posted two days ago. Apparently the fan
outcry is having some effect. I hadn't seen this thread. Thanks.

 

[thrasher]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On Wed, 02 Mar 2005 18:36:34 -0600, shadows <shadows@whitefang.com>
wrote:

>This is really sad. Yesterday Feargus Urquhart announced that
>they planned on closing down their forums. The few responses from
>Obsidian on their own forums with regards to the chopped ending
>in KOTOR2 were not helpful. In fact their graphics programmer
>bordered on hostile on the NWN2 forums when he replied to people
>complaining about KOTOR2.

Yeah, that's right Shadows... complain about the only RPG made in a
year, and tell the company who made it that you won't buy any more
games from them. You go, boy.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

"RJB" <robartle@NOSPAM.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:g88zefr279vy.dlg@ID-221573.user.individual.net...
> On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 20:15:00 -0600, Melketh wrote:
>
> > "Knight37" <knight37m@email.com> wrote in message
> > news:Xns960DC53BC835Aknight37m@130.133.1.4...
> >> shadows <shadows@whitefang.com> once tried to test me with:
> >>
> >>> Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
> >>> spoiler forums.
> >>>
> >>> This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
> >>> franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
> >>> about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.
> >>
> >> It's their forums. Don't like it, don't go there.
> >>
> >>> I've sent the following email to OE:
> >>>
> >>> To: bizdev@obsidianent.com
> >>> Subject: KOTOR 2: Cut ending
> >>
> >> Maybe you can get 20 or 30 other people to do the same thing.
> >>
> >> That'll show 'em.
> >>
> >
> > No, that won't show em anything, but it DEFINITELY will get their
attention
> > if there is a PETITIONONLINE started!
>
> Yeah, Valve is quaking in their boots. Get it? Quaking... hahahaha!
> --

yep, it's UNREAL.

nyuk nyuk!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On 3 Mar 2005 01:34:52 GMT, Knight37 <knight37m@email.com> wrote:

>GFree <nickt4001@yahoo.com.au> once tried to test me with:
>
>> It doesn't inspire a lot of confidence. People will now be avoiding
>> Obsidian in droves if they act like this.
>
>The fanboys who tend to follow forums and then get all upset would like to
>think that, but realistically, it isn't going to make a hill beans of
>difference.

"So tell me, Knight -- or should I call you Mr 37 -- what brought you to
the Obsidian forums?"

"My entertainment. I came to the forums for the flame wars."

"Flame wars? We're a moderated bulletin board."

"I was misinformed."


--
Hong Ooi | "COUNTERSRTIKE IS AN REAL-TIME
hong@zipworld.com.au | STRATEGY GAME!!!"
http://www.zipworld.com.au/~hong/dnd/ | -- RR
Sydney, Australia |

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 01:31:56 GMT, GFree <nickt4001@yahoo.com.au>
wrote:

>one. This kind of censoring only shows to people what their attitude is
>like to free speech.

You have no right to free speech on someone else's forums. No more
than I have a right to free speech in your living room.

--
"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability
of the human mind to correlate all its contents." - H.P. Lovecraft

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

shadows wrote:

> Well they haven't removed new threads on the subject but their
> announcement of shutting down the forums still remains. I think
> they're just overwhelmed by people figured out the ending was cut
> in KOTOR2.
>

Sorry; the idea of threads being removed was made by the OP.

So, they're overwhelmed with the fact that there are quite a lot of
smart people out there that can find out these things because the
developers were too cocky to remove the redundant data from the game files?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 15:12:47 GMT, Thrasher <spectre911@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>On Wed, 02 Mar 2005 18:36:34 -0600, shadows <shadows@whitefang.com>
>wrote:
>
>>This is really sad. Yesterday Feargus Urquhart announced that
>>they planned on closing down their forums. The few responses from
>>Obsidian on their own forums with regards to the chopped ending
>>in KOTOR2 were not helpful. In fact their graphics programmer
>>bordered on hostile on the NWN2 forums when he replied to people
>>complaining about KOTOR2.
>
>Yeah, that's right Shadows... complain about the only RPG made in a
>year, and tell the company who made it that you won't buy any more
>games from them. You go, boy.
>

So we should accept anything, no matter the quality and just be
grateful to get something? I thought you were the one railing against
bad quality CRPGs and threatening to pull out of the hobby all
together?

Lynley

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

shadows <shadows@whitefang.com> wrote:
>This is really sad. Yesterday Feargus Urquhart announced that
>they planned on closing down their forums. The few responses from
>Obsidian on their own forums with regards to the chopped ending
>in KOTOR2 were not helpful. In fact their graphics programmer
>bordered on hostile on the NWN2 forums when he replied to people
>complaining about KOTOR2.
>
>I saw one quoted email from Mr. Urquhart who pretty much said
>they've moved onto other projects.
>
>Then OE removed the threads discussing the cut ending from their
>spoiler forums.
>
>This isn't right. In their first project they killed a good
>franchise, told off their customers, and removed any discussion
>about the cut material so as to remove controvesy.
>
>
>I've sent the following email to OE:
>
>To: bizdev@obsidianent.com
>Subject: KOTOR 2: Cut ending
>
>Hi,
>
>I saw the way you handled the KOTOR2 discussion regarding the cut
>ending on your forums. I'd like to let you know that I'm very
>disappointed and let down by the way you handled this matter. I
>looked forward to your games when I first heard about Obsidian
>Entertainment.
>
>As a result of the way you handled our requests for the ending to
>KOTOR2 to be restored I have decided to no longer purchase any
>games developed by you. I hope this e-mail and others will
>eventually persuade you to give some attention to KOTOR2.
>
>I hope you understand that by destroying the community following
>your games you're essentially cutting into your own revenue.

No, wasting money on making new endings would cut into their own
revenue.