Matt Chat 125: Jay Barnson on Frayed Knights and indie CRPGs

Note: This version has some missing footage around the 28 minute mark. I've uploaded a corrected version to Armchair Arcade:
http://www.armchairarcade.com/neo/node/4415

In the second installment of my massive interview with Rampant Games' founder Jay Barnson, we chat about his game Frayed Knights, its inspirations in CRPGs and tabletop RPGs, and much more. We also talk about what makes a great CRPG and whether modern ones are "dumbed down" or "dumbed up." Lots of great stuff here, so fill your drinking horn (or coffee mug) and kick back for another half hour with Jay & Matt.

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Oh, and if you haven't bought Frayed Knights yet, I fart in thy general direction!
http://rampantgames.com/frayedknights/

Category:

Gaming

Tags:

• interview
• games
• matt chat
• jay barnson
• rampant coyote
• frayed knights
• ultima
• wizardry
• telengard
• d&d
• diablo
• indie
• fair trade

[MaxSpender]

I'm getting tired of all this dumbing down talk. So if you play something like Skyrim, that makes you a dullard, but if you play an indie-developed CRPG with archaic, turn based combat, that makes you intelligent? Previously, developers were restricted by hardware limitations, but with today's technology they can more fully realise their visions, meaning that gamers don't have to use their imaginations as much to fill in the blanks, but that doesn't necessarily mean that gaming has dumbed down.

[blacklily8]

@MaxSpender "dumbing down" is probably not the best way to put it. I think a lot of us older guys want something more like chess, whereas Joe Gamer wants something more like basketball. It's not so much about intelligence as it is mental vs. physical gaming.

[marcusmalone]

Sorry, last thing: Just used your link to go to Gog. That site's friggin' amazing. I've been looking for a compatible Planescape for ever!!

[blacklily8]

@marcusmalone Hehe, yeah I almost hate to go to the site because I always end up buying a half dozen games from them.

[Waage83]

@MaxSpender It is not that EVERY game that is streamlined is dumbed down the issue is a TON of games are because developers are afraid that some gamer's are to fucking stupid to play there game.

Take Dragon age 1 and 2. DA:O was by no means a perfect game, but it had some good ideas and some really interesting encounters.

DA2 on the other hand went full retard and cut out most of the good and put nothing, but stupid back in.

Skyrim is fine game, but it is far from a deep RPG.

[ManchildGames]

@blacklily8 A bit late, but I completely agree with this sentiment. Unlike much of your potential viewership, I never grew up enjoying turn based RPG or strategy game. As I get older, I find myself being much less entertained and interested in action oriented games, preferring a slower much more contemplative experience. Apart from computer RPG's, tabletop games like Advanced Squad Leader and Dungeons and Dragons are something I spend quite a lot of time with...love the videos by the way!

[DarkAvatar1313]

11:05 lol. 

[MaxSpender]

@tubeofbryce Nuts.

[DragoonBoom]

@MaxSpender It isn't about playing or not playing games, it's about deconstructing the artform and analysing it's viability as a whole game and the wider scope of where it fits in the market.

The issue with Skyrim is that it's a rushed game, and that it's not deep, shallow if you will. It's cannon fodder.

Old school games and indie games tend to be deep, masterful projects where all features are deliberate to work against limitations. Assuming that the games are good, ofc.

[tubeofbryce]

@MaxSpender In a nutshell, yes.

[ikokujin]

@wabba67 Yeah, Fate points. But they weren't lost upon loading.

[ikokujin]

@MaxSpender I see. You still refer to turn-based combat as "archaic", however. Action-based gameplay is just as "archaic" as turn-based. In fact, the first computer games were action games.

[dwcai81]

@blacklily8 Basketball is a bad analogy, Matt. The best of the best NBA players are constantly thinking 4-6 moves ahead. And at 10x the speed of a chess player while incorporating the physical part.

Gaming, to me, is like music. Embrace the new while remembering the old got it to where it was. I love Skyrim. And I love these older games. The makers of Skyrim will probably admit to their love of the older games too.

[marcusmalone]

Max makes a great counter point. Actually, before I watch a Matt Chat vid, I make sure to hide my Call of Duty discs just in case! ; )